The 2022 Willow Canyon football team slipped under the radar quite easily, at least until it won its final four games to earn the program’s first playoff berth since 2011.

Those Wildcats did not have major college prospects or even high profile high school players. They threw the ball 17 percent of the time. But that 7-3 squad was chock full of gritty running backs, strong linemen, a sure tackling front seven and quality defensive backs.

This year’s Willow Canyon senior class watched that group as freshmen and has a decent shot at emulating them. The 2025 team knows that in order to win it will need to consistently block, tackle and play as a unit.

“It’s the tightest group we’ve had since the playoff team,” eighth-year coach Justin Stangler said.

The two seasons in between have been ro

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